


Thunder & Lightning

by rainhumphrey



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Basketball, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Insecurity, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Secret Crush, Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29019897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainhumphrey/pseuds/rainhumphrey
Summary: We all know a lot of things about the perfectly charming, shamelessly confident and perpetually outgoing Ryouta Kise, model and member of the Generation of Miracles. But what do we know about his twin sister? Mayu Kise is the same gloomy shadow to her brother, as Tetsuya Kuroko is to everyone else. Her life was defined by insecurities as she developed an inferiority complex due to the fact that her brother and both her older sisters were successful in everything they did. She always felt she couldn't reach their potential, that she couldn't offer anything to the world of who she was. Mayu is looking for an escape. She is determined to, for once and for all, step out in the light, but to be able do that, she has to let go of her brother first. That's why she decides, contrary to Ryouta, to attend Seirin High and to forget everything that happened at Teiko, including basketball and the Generation of Miracles. Only she doesn't see one thing coming: Taiga Kagami, her new classmate, who is determined to become the best basketball player in Japan, and Tetsuya Kuroko, her former best friend in Teiko Junior High, whose wish is to bring the Seirin team to the top. Mayu has to decide: will she rejoin the basketball team on the bench?
Relationships: Aomine Daiki/Kise Ryouta, Kagami Taiga/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	Thunder & Lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mayu Kise is an upcoming first year student in Seirin High. As she is walking towards her new school along the cherry tree lane, she is thinking a hundred thoughts about her life, her relationship with people, fears and insecurities, but for sure she isn't expecting the twist she's about to witness while trying to reach her classroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, hello everyone! :)
> 
> This is my first time as a writer on AO3 and also the first time writing in english since it is not my native language, so please bear with me as I am getting adjusted to it, and feel free to leave constructive criticism! 
> 
> Just a side note before the story begins: I kind of forgot the fact that Seirin High is a private school and thus cannot have any graduates yet, but a dear friend of mine encouraged me to leave the backstory I made up for the school as it is, so take that into consideration when you start reading it.
> 
> Thank you and have fun!
> 
> Rain

She could already sense it, just as the light, pastel pink petals hit the pavement. She always loved the sweet fragrance of cherry blossom, the bright color of the flowers, the way they were dancing in the morning breeze, raining the world below them, carelessly covering the streets of Tokyo. Truth be told, she envied how they were seemingly lost in their own world without a shame, without consequences, without ugly thoughts and irrational fears. She looked at the cherry trees as an epitome of her heart, a mirror of her soul, a soul that was desperately seeking closure. Her grip on her shoulder bag loosened a bit as she ambled along the cherry tree lane, trying to seize the moment. She wanted it to fill up all her senses, to bunker the new emotion deep in her heart, to burn it in the greatest parts of her memory. She could already sense it, indeed, the shivering feeling right down her spine, the feeling that her choice was something conducted by fate, written in a corner of the vast, hazy galaxy. Change was waiting for her just around the corner. She wanted to remember the scent of that Monday morning, the scent of a brand new, fresh beginning. 

People hurried past her as she slowed her pace down. Most of them already seemed to know each other, at least that’s what Mayu thought after she took notice of their cheerful faces, chatty behavior and how close they were walking next to each other. Everyone seemed especially delighted and enthralled, open, and recipient. She felt she was the only one with doubt and anxiety in her heart. It crossed her mind to just shamelessly join them and try to start a conversation, but she simply wasn’t the type to do so. She couldn’t be her true self around strangers; she was just another brick in the wall, bending in silently. She wasn’t able to spread her wings yet, to let go of what held her back, but she was happy to say that she had it in development.

She began to make out the shape of the school in the distance, just as she hit the following crossroad. It was a row of tall, white buildings with huge glass windows, that seemingly looked nothing special, yet somehow were still charming in their own, simple way. More and more students gathered beside her as she crossed the street, wearing the traditional uniform of the school – white skirt with a matching shirt and green kerchief for the girls, and a simple, black costume for the boys –, as she put on the pace to arrive at the gates as quickly as possible. She wanted to get lost in the crowd, to be just as invisible as one of her endeared friends, even though she knew she would probably never master the art of hiding as excellent as he did, not even in a million years. Mayu did not have a lot of friends, but she often spent time around people that did. To be frank, all of her siblings were way more sociable than her. She always believed that the reason behind that lied in her being the youngest one in her family, even though there was like a five minute age gap between her and her brother. 

Brisk voices reached her ears as she began to get closer and closer, being just a few inches away from the institute of her choice. Her palms were sweaty, her thoughts were racing, and she felt as if she could puke any minute. It wasn’t easy being a first year student in an unfamiliar environment. She was used to the fact that she never got to do anything alone, as she always had her brother by her side. They were literally inseparable. From sharing the womb to sharing an apartment somewhere between the suburbs and the City Centre of Tokyo, they did pretty much everything together. The concept of sharing an apartment was new to both of them however, a gift from the parents for their seventeenth birthday. Dear Mama and Papa thought that the best way they could learn discipline and self-sufficiency, was to spend the last couple years of their high school experience without them. Mayu wasn’t happy with their choice, she was frightened and anxious about it, although with Ryouta by her side she knew there was little chance in terms of something going wrong. They were both responsible people. Well, mostly Mayu. Ryouta Kise was another story.  
The two of them looked almost identical externally but were very different internally. They were the opposite sides of the same coin. He was bold, confident, and full of self-esteem, conquering traits the girl could only dream of, maybe besides the boldness. From time to time, she could be bold enough to get herself into silly situations, but other than that, she was mostly a peaceful individual. Mostly. Considering their opposite character traits, they were actually good siblings. They had a really strong emotional bond, and she loved her brother from the bottom of her heart, but there were still times when she wished she were an only child, or at least lacking a twin. Growing up in the shadow of two perfect older sisters and a nearly famous brother put Mayu into such grave times and hardships, that she always had to put on an act, to be a pretender in front of her family. She mastered the art of looking fine and dandy, even though she often felt miserable on the inside. She knew she was too hard on herself, but she just couldn’t help to feel like a teenage dirtbag from time to time.

As she finally hit the gates, she felt relieved. No more rushing, no more overthinking, not another nerve-wrenching, muscle-shaky step. It was just her and the future before her, the beginning of a journey she feared but was just as excited for. She nearly tiptoed into the front yard, her heart bumping like a tribal drum inside her chest, and as soon as she stepped inside, she could feel her jaw drop in awe.  
The schoolyard was surrounded with countless cherry trees, something that made the girl feel better about her choice. The place was littered with thousands of students rushing into the building, trying to dodge the nagging of the seniors attempting to pursue them into joining their clubs. You see, the entire existence of a perfect Japanese student relied upon the fact of how many clubs they could attend before getting a nervous breakdown from all the burden they put on their shoulders by their own will. Studying was the greatest privilege of life in their eyes, and they wanted to master as much as they could of it. At least the vast majority of them, which Mayu wasn’t really a part of. Actually, she was already certain of the club she wanted to join and wouldn’t want to put herself into a situation with messy schedules and the inability to keep track with time, even if that were for the sake of infinite knowledge. Only she decided to give herself another day before getting herself into anything heedlessly. She wanted to get used to her new surroundings first. Art was her chosen field, mostly literature, but also painting, and Seirin had a history of the most talented art graduates in Japan. The school was also an accredited institute with a range of eminent opportunities, such as study programs abroad, scholarships in the fields of many taught subjects or the care for talent management. It was everything an insecure girl could ever wish for and so much more.

She was careful when choosing the institute where she wanted to study further. As much as her parents tried to pursue her into choosing the same school as her twin brother, she was stubborn enough to go against their will; she wanted something more, something different. And since nobody in her immediate vicinity really gave a thought about Seirin High, she herself found it the best option to go with. Seirin wasn’t worse than any other school in Tokyo after all, it just wasn’t the first option on the list, probably because it had almost zero reputation in fields other than art. She heard rumors that their sports teams were absolutely, well, how to put this into nice words… garbage. No wonder that none of her closest acquaintances wanted to choose a place like this to continue their education in, or at least not that specific group of boys whom she knew just as well as the back of her hand. She was certain they were aspiring for more, towards a greater purpose, even her brother, although he would’ve never admitted it himself. She knew very well that at the end of the day, they all wanted the same thing: to defeat each other. They wanted to put an end onto a long time ongoing, burning question: who was the best basketball player amongst them? 

Mayu always thought their rivalry was nonsense and that they were never a true team in spirit. There were even members she just couldn’t stand, members who frightened her to the core with their obsession regarding perfectionism, who took the sport way too seriously, like it was a question of life and death. It was pathetic, really. But boys will be boys, even though people tend to say that girls were more layered, complicated creatures. This case was an exception. Or maybe the girl was too innocent to see the value in praising a competition like this. No wonder she wouldn’t put up with their malarkey anymore and just straight up decided to get as far away from them as possible. And Seirin gave her the space for that. It was the perfect place to hide, and the perfect place to rise, it only depended on what side of the coin you were on. As for Mayu Kise, that coin was still spinning in an undecisive speed at the edge of the table. She wasn’t sure which side she was on yet.

“Hi, welcome to Seirin High! We are so glad to welcome you amongst our students! Do you like movies? If so, we would be very happy if you could join our movie club. We have meetings on Mondays and Fridays at 5 PM” a girl with raven black locks approached her with a colorful brochure in her hand. She seemed excited about the hiring of new students, and had a sympathetic aura, one that reminded Mayu of Satsuki Momoi, a formal friend of hers at Teiko Junior High.

“Oh, thank you, I will definitely think about it!” She reached to grab the brochure in a hurry. She didn’t want to seem impolite on her first day, so she took like four or five more on her way to the entrance of the school, as she was approached by the swimming club, the reader’s club, the science club, and the cooking club also. 

By the time she got to the doors, she felt exhausted. She felt she couldn’t take any more of the pressure, it was already too much for her to bear. Then her cellphone started to buzz in her pockets a few moments later, and when she saw the name lightning up on the screen, she closed her eyes for a second. There it was, another type of pressure, another pain in the ass. She knew she couldn’t get away from the call, so she decided to answer it with a tired voice.

“Perfect timing as per usual” she sighed into the phone, playing with the sleeves of her shirt. She wanted the conversation to die as soon as possible.

“Do you miss me already, Mayucchi?”

She rolled her eyes hearing the intentionally thinned voice, and the special use of words of her twin brother. Ryouta and his constant urge to put a -cchi at the end of people’s names he acknowledged got on her nerves every time. She was the first whom he nicknamed in this manner and it was driving her crazy, maybe because in a way she felt like a subordinate of his brother. If a genie would have approached her any time, granting her three wishes, she sure as hell would’ve wasted all three of them to eradicate this nickname. The level of hate she had for the thing was inexpressible. It angered her from the tips of her toes to the top of her scalp.

“I miss that peace and quiet surrounding me before you called” she answered cynically whilst her brother began to laugh in the background. Mayu did not find the situation as amusing as Ryouta did. The only thing she wanted was a day without the presence of his brother, and yet he still found a way to ruin that for her. 

“Okay, I get it, I’m such a bad brother for caring for my little sister” Ryouta answered dramatically as Mayu wandered a bit to the side of the building, so other students would be able to enter in the main hall.

“I am your twin sister, you moron!” she took a deep breath while lecturing him. She hated when anyone brought up the fact that she was the youngest Kise. She always felt small and petty hearing that.

“Yes, my twin sister who’s five minutes younger than me, so technically speaking I am more than allowed to call you the little one” he declared as she decided to just give in. She wasn’t in the mood to argue it down with him, and even if she did, it would’ve been in vain. Ryouta never listened and loved teasing her in any way he could. Even the greatest comebacks couldn’t stop him from doing it.

“Fine, do as you wish. Why have you called anyway? I’m sure it wasn’t with the intention to check up on me. Or was it mom who asked you to do so?”

“Why are you so moody today, Mayucchi? Can’t I be worried for you?”

Again, the pointless drama. She knew that in a way her brother was indeed worried for her well-being. As much of a daring macho he was, he felt weird about separating from his sister too. Before they took the train to their respective schools, he hurried Mayu to get down with him at his station, before realizing the girl needed to go beyond that. She saw the sad confusion that darkened Ryouta’s face in that moment. Still, she knew he would’ve never called only to check up on her. There was another reason behind it.

“You speak like we don’t live under the same roof, Ryouta. You saw me just a couple hours ago, so what’s the real deal?”

She could hear the sight of giving in. He had to spill the tea.

“Okay, fine. I just met the coolest senior ever and I invited him over for tea. Do you mind?”

“For tea, huh?” her voice sounded sceptic. This wasn’t the first time Ryouta invited someone over under the excuse of having tea. He often referred to his affairs as tea parties. No wonder that Mayu wasn’t buying it as it was. “Just as you invited over the guy you met at one of the photoshoots of yours last month, right? What was his name, Hiroshi? Hisao? I can’t quite recall.”

“Sheesh, Mayu! It’s nothing like that! Trust me!”

She knew her brother wasn’t straight. Well, he wasn’t gay either, but he didn’t like to call himself bisexual, so he referred to himself as just queer instead. He didn’t want to be labeled as anything, and the word queer felt something less stigmatizating. Either way, his sexuality never bothered the girl. Maybe once, when a certain crush of hers seemed to take more interest in Ryouta rather than her. But that was something for another story.

“Yeah, sure. Just please don’t screw him in my room or something, and don’t do it on the living room couch. My virgin eyes can’t handle the sight of used condoms and empty bottles of lube” she giggled, trying to annoy him, which in some way worked, as Ryouta sighed in pain. He was defeated for once.

“He is the captain of the Kaijo basketball team, and he seems pretty straight. Also, he’s a bit aggressive and I’m sure he doesn’t like me anyway. So, no screwing will happen unfortunately, but hey, thanks for the warm sisterly support” he snorted.

Mayu grinned. Hearing about the basketball team moved something in the depths of her little heart. She kind of missed the days when she was a part of the games, on the bench, obviously. She loved to analyze the style of the players.

“Oh, so you’ve been at Kaijo for like what, twenty minutes and befriended the basketball team’s captain instantly?”

“I wouldn’t say he’s my friend, but he was interested in my playing technique, that’s why I invited him over to talk about it. We are preparing for The Internhigh championship, you know.”

“Sure thing” she answered unimpressed. Everyone was so keen on this Internhigh championship that she just began to hate it without a proper reason.

“So, did you find some friends yourself?” he changed the subject unexpectedly. “Any hot girl or handsome boy I can steal later on?”

“You know what? I’ve got to go. You really know how to ruin everything!” 

She put down the phone in a rush, trying to calm down her nerves. She could feel the precursory tension in her shoulders, which usually lead to uncontrollable anger. But today she just wouldn’t let it poison her. She took some deep breaths, tried to get lost in the tranquil for a few moments, then decided to finally enter the building in search for her classroom. It was by time. Only she wasn’t prepared for the giant size of the school, for wings A, B, C and D, the illegible school map, and the infinity of the stairs she had to pull herself through to get from one point to another. It was a complete disaster!  
After what felt like hours, but in reality, were like fifteen minutes of wandering around the hallways like a wretched disaster, she decided it was time to finally dig up the courage and ask someone for help. That’s when, on the second floor of the building in what the map seemed to describe as wing B of the building, she noticed a tall redhead reading a note on a huge blackboard. She assumed that the boy must have been a senior already, so she saw her chance in him and decided to live with it. She was like two heads shorter than the guy, but still managed to pat him on the shoulder and anxiously ask him to help her out.

“Um, excuse me, I’m looking for room 202 on the second floor of wing C. I’m a first year and I feel a bit lost in all this information, so I would be very glad if you could lend me a helping hand.”

“Oh, sorry, I have no idea where that is. I’m just as lost as you, I’m a first year too” he turned to her with a clueless grin, pecking the back of his neck in something that looked like a hint of embarrassment. 

You see, Mayu never believed in faith or whatsoever, and she was always the sceptic one when it came to watching romantic comedies on TV, stating that such as an instant crush or love at first sight did not exist in real life. And even though she could hardly call it a crush when the tall, muscle-built individual finally locked eyes with her, she still felt as if time had stopped for a minute, freezing in one place, bottling up the two of them in an infinite moment. Her stomach curled into a tiny ball of nervousness, dragging all her other organs with itself too, all the blood rushed into her face and a strange, familiar sensation captured her body. It definitely wasn’t a crush, and it wasn’t love either, but it was still something. A connection maybe, a reconnection of two old, lost souls. 

She gasped unintentionally but couldn’t move an inch. She was stuck in that moment, absorbed in it, the same way she was absorbed in the beauty of the cherry tree lane just a couple of minutes before. It indeed was a start of something new.

She wasn’t aware of the graveness of this meeting. No one could’ve prepared her for it.


End file.
